As the Christmas season ended and everyone began discussing their New Year's resolutions I noticed several people mention a "word of the year." I'm not sure if I have just be unobservant in the past, but this tradition of picking a "word of the year" was new to me. After reading several articles/blogs that included this tradition I decided I would try to think of a word that I would reflect on regularly throughout the year. For most of January I thought maybe my word should be "patience" because we are in the long waiting period of our adoption and I need to cultivate sincere patience to avoid anxiety during the year. It could be months before we hear anything, even a little update...so patience will be necessary. However, as I have read and spent time in scripture I don't want my word to be patience, because in my situation it seems passive. I needed something active, something that said I'm waiting...expecting God to do something great....something I certainly need to be prepared for.
So...while I wait patiently, I am going to PREPARE. I'm going to work to prepare my heart and mind to welcome two more children into our lives. Children whose struggles I do not know. Children who are going to need me to be something I have never been. I have never been the mother of children who don't understand family and attachment. But I know that God can prepare me to be what He needs me to be for these precious children. Joey and I also see God preparing Molly and Linc. I hear their preparation in their prayers for their brothers in Haiti.
We are thankful that Molly started off this year with her profession of faith in Jesus Christ and baptism. I think she is off to a good start, preparing for a life of service to Christ.
Please join me in praying that we, as a family, will be prepared for whatever the year brings. It is my prayer that we are actively seeking to prepare our lives to accomplish the tasks that God has for us.
